Why are some fruits, like pineapple, not recommended for adding to gelatin? It is because the gelatin may not solidify well if it has these fruits in it. In this science project you will determine whether certain enzymes in some fruits are preventing gelatin from solidifying, and whether there is a way to still include these fruits without ruining your gelatin dessert. It is an experiment with edible results!
Read more

FoodSci_p004

+ More Details

- Less Details

Time Required

Very Short (≤ 1 day)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

Readily Available

Cost

Very Low (under $20)

Safety

Adult supervision is recommended for making the gelatin, which involves using boiling water and a knife to cut the fruits.

Many proteins act as catalysts which speed up or regulate a biochemical reaction. The kinetics of an enzyme can be investigated by measuring the reactants and products of the reaction over time. Research the enzymatic reaction of a protein and investigate its kinetics. Measure the production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) by catalase, the digestion of gelatin by papain, or any other enzymatic reaction you have access to.
Bio-Rad's provides a great measurement platform for exploring…
Read more

BioChem_p019

+ More Details

- Less Details

Time Required

Long (2-4 weeks)

Prerequisites

Should have basic knowledge of chemistry and chemical reactions.

Material Availability

Readily available

Cost

Low ($20 - $50)

Safety

Use caution when choosing a biochemical reaction to study. For more information about chemical safety, consult the [# ProjectGuide Name="Advanced.ChemistrySafetyGuide" Value="HtmlAnchor" #] Guide.

Yeast contains an enzyme, called catalase, that acts as a catalyst for the reaction that breaks down hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water (2H2O22H2O + O2). Safety note: oxygen is a highly reactive gas, adult supervision recommended for this project. For your background research, be sure that you understand substrate, catalyst, reaction rate, catalase, enzyme saturation and protein denaturation. Use a solution of 3% H2O2 for the substrate. Construct an apparatus that allows you to collect…
Read more

Have you ever pulled a muscle or just been sore after a long day of work or exercise? Hot showers are great, but maybe you've used the more convenient heat packs. Heat packs, which you can buy at grocery or drug stores to soothe aching muscles, use exothermic reactions to produce a low level of heat that lasts for an extended period of time. Exothermic reactions change chemical energy into heat energy. In this chemistry science fair project, you will use heat packs to study the heat-generating…
Read more

Chem_p054

+ More Details

- Less Details

Time Required

Short (2-5 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

Specialty items are required. See the Materials & Equipment list for details.

Cost

High ($100 - $150)

Safety

Adult supervision is required. Use caution when working with the oxygen canister.

Alka-Seltzer® tablets fizz furiously when dropped into water. The moment the tablet starts dissolving, a chemical reaction occurs that releases carbon dioxide gas. Can you make Alka-Seltzer fizz faster or slower by changing the temperature of the water? How big of a difference in the rate of a chemical reaction can temperature make?
Read more

Chem_p027

+ More Details

- Less Details

Time Required

Short (2-5 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

Readily available

Cost

Very Low (under $20)

Safety

Adult supervision may be needed when working with hot water solutions.

The iodine clock reaction is a favorite demonstration reaction in chemistry classes. Two clear liquids are mixed, resulting in another clear liquid. After a few seconds, the solution suddenly turns dark blue. The reaction is called a clock reaction because the amount of time that elapses before the solution turns blue depends on the concentrations of the starting chemicals. In this chemistry science fair project, you will explore factors that affect the rate of the iodine clock reaction.
Read more

Chem_p091

+ More Details

- Less Details

Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

You should be attending or already have taken an introductory chemistry class. This science fair project requires careful attention to detail and will involve some creative problem solving and independent research on your part.

Material Availability

You will need to order a chemical kinetics kit online. See the Materials and Equipment list for details.

Cost

Average ($50 - $100)

Safety

Wear safety goggles when working with all chemicals. Hydrochloric acid is corrosive to hands and eyes. Wear splash goggles and gloves when handling acids.

Hydrogen peroxide (often used as a disinfectant) has also been approved for use in pesticides. This science fair project investigates whether hydrogen peroxide has any effects on seed germination or on roots of plant cuttings.
Read more

PlantBio_p036

+ More Details

- Less Details

Time Required

Long (2-4 weeks)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

Readily available

Cost

Average ($50 - $100)

Safety

Use caution when using the knife. Always use oven mitts when you remove items from an oven. Adult supervision is recommended.

Have you ever noticed that most yogurt containers say they contain "live cultures"? What does that mean? The label is suggesting that the yogurt has living bacteria in it! While some types of bacteria can make you sick, some are actually important to keep you healthy. But individual bacteria are so tiny that you cannot see one with the naked eye, so how can you tell if bacteria are really living in your yogurt? In this science fair project, you will investigate whether yogurt actually…
Read more

FoodSci_p072

+ More Details

- Less Details

Time Required

Long (2-4 weeks)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

You will need to special order the agar plates. See the Materials and Equipment list for details.

Cost

Average ($40 - $80)

Safety

The bacteria in the yogurt is not harmful; however, it is possible for other bacteria to grow on the agar plates. For that reason, make sure to follow all the safety guidelines in the Experimental Procedure. Be sure to dispose properly any plates with bacteria when the experiment is over. Adult help is required to light a candle.

In this project, you'll learn how to isolate DNA from onion cells, separating it from other cellular components in a manner that still preserves its structure and sequence. In the end, you'll have enough DNA to see with the unaided eye, and you'll be able to spool it to demonstrate its strand-like structure.
Read more

You can find this page online at: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/search.shtml?v=solt&pi=BioChem_p030

You may print and distribute up to 200 copies of this document annually, at no charge, for personal and classroom educational use. When printing this document, you may NOT modify it in any way. For any other use, please contact Science Buddies.